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Photo: Union College defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere raised his stock dramatically in 2013-14 with a superb regular season and dominant playoff run for the National Champions (courtesy of Richard T Gagnon/Getty Images)

Welcome to the April 2014 edition of On the Rush. With the postseason underway, this will be the final column for the 2013-14 season. As such, this edition will focus on prospects at various levels of competition who exceeded expectations or fell behind a bit over the course of the entire season.

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Photo: University of North Dakota defenseman and St. Louis Blues prospect Jordan Schmaltz along with Edmonton prospect Dillon Simpson and Chicago prospect Nick Mattson have generated 68 points from the blueline in the 2013-14 season (courtesy of Gregory Shamus/NHLI via Getty Images)

Sophomore Jordan Schmaltz (STL) is in the midst of a breakout season with the University of North Dakota and is one of college hockey’s rising young defensemen. The Verona, WI native currently co-leads the team with 23 points (six goals, 17 assists) in 40 games. He and senior defensive partner Dillon Simpson (EDM) comprised arguably the NCHC’s best defensive tandem this season.

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Photo: Val-d’Or Foreurs goaltender and Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Antoine Bibeau was dealt from the Charlottetown Islanders to the Foreurs in late December, with Bibeau assuming the starting role with his new club (courtesy of Francois Laplante/FreestylePhoto/Getty Images)

"Don't call it a comeback, I've been here for years…"

Although the QMJHL is a long way from its 1990's heyday, when it regularly knocked out similar junior leagues when it came to the development of NHL goaltending prospects, the league currently boasts nine netminders who have been drafted or signed by NHL clubs. This number was bolstered by a bumper crop of five current QMJHL goalies drafted in the 2013 NHL Draft.

With the arrival of Henrik Lundqvist in the NHL back in the 2005-06 season, the NHL seen an influx of Swedish goaltenders being drafted or signed to professional contracts and brought over to North America at a rate not seen before.